Snap fastener



May 9? 1950 J. M. scANLoN ET AL 2,507,224

SNAP FASTENER 4Filed March 2o, 1947 Patented May 9, 1950 SNAP FASTENER James M. Scanlon and Ronald L. Zitrick, Detroit, Mich.

Application March 20, 1947, Serial No. 736,082

(Cl. 45--138l 1 Claim.

This invention relates to a fastener and, in particular, to a fastener for securing trimming material panels to vehicle body frame structures.

One object of this invention is to provide a trim fastener which will fasten the trim at a multiplicity of locations, the fastener being connected between such locations.

Another object is to provide a trim fastener which is operable to secure sheet-like materials in over-lapping relationship with the structural members of furniture or vehicle bodies, the fastener being provided with a plurality of fastener portions which are connected to one another so as to strengthen one another.

Another object is to provide a trim fastener for furniture or vehicle bodies consisting of elongated members having projections at intervals therealong, these projections being tongue-shaped so as to be insertable through holes in the furniture or vehicle bodies to which the trim is to be attached.

Another object is to provide a trim fastener fol furniture or vehicle bodies consisting of a resilient rod or wire having loop-like bent projections at intervals therealong, the projections having neck portions of reduced width immediately adjacent their connection to said rod or wire.

Another object is to provide a trim fastener as set forth in the preceding objects, wherein the elongated member, rod or wire is hingedly attached to the trim panel so as to lie'at against the panel when desired, so as to facilitate stacking the panels on top of one another until they are ready for use.

Another object is to provide a furniture or vehicle trim fastener as set forth in the preceeding objects, wherein the fastener can be bent into arcuate form such as in rounding a curved portion of the body or a body opening.

Another object is to provide a furniture or vehicle body trim fastener as set forth in the preceding objects wherein the projections or looplike portions are pushed through similarly spaced holes in the furniture or vehicle body, the projections snapping outward inside the hole so as to secure the trim panel firmly, yet releasably, in position.

Another object is to provide a trim panel for furniture or vehicle body as set forth in the preceding objects wherein the trim panel may be separated from the structure to which it is attached merely by prying the two members apart without requiring special tools.

Another object is to provide a furniture or vehicle body trim fastener as set forth in the preceding objects which, upon shrinkage of the panel to which it is attached, ywill slide longitudinally to automatically compensate for the shrinkage.

Another object is to provide a trim fastener which may be applied to a panel before the trimming operation and wherein the entire numalong the line 2-2 in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a vertical section taken along the line 3-3 in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a portion of a trim panel having a pair of trim fasteners of the present invention mounted thereon;

Figure 5 is a sectional view similar tc a portion of Figure 2, but showing the manner in which the trim fastener may be folded fiat against the trim panel;

Figure 6 is a sectional view of a modified fastener for replacement purposes; and

Figure 7 is a view of the modified fastener of Figure 6 showing the manner in which it is inserted into its pivotal mounting.

Referring to the drawings in detail, Figures 1 to 5 inclusive show a trim fastener generally designated I Il, according to a preferred form of the invention, as mounted by attachment members II upon a trim panel I 2. The trim panel I2 is to be secured to the inside of a body structural member I3, such as a vehicle door. The panel I2 is of fibre board or other suitable material, and is used for supporting the upholstery. The door I 3 is usually of metal with an edge flange I4 and an inwardly-turned fiange I5 having spaced holes I6 atintervals therealong (Fig. ures 1 and 2).

The fastener Ill consists of an elongated rod or wire Il (Figure 4) having loop-like pointed tongues I8 at intervals therealong corresponding to the intervals between the holes I6 in the flange I5. The tongues I8 are approximately V- shaped, with inwardly bent portions I9 adjacent their junctions with the rod or wire Il. The tongues I8 have outwardly bent portions 2li immediately beyond the inwardly bent portions IS, and have converging portions 2I meeting at a point or tip 22. The inwardly bent portions i9 form a neck portion for the tongues I8, and serve to engage the'edge's of the metal around the holes I'B, as shownI in Figure 3.

The trim fasteners" I'0 are hingedly secured to the panel i2'by means ofthe attachment members 5I, which preferably consist of staples applied by means of a conventional stapling machine. The stapling machine itself forms no part of the present invention, but the staples II inserted by the machine have arms 23 which are forced through the panel l2, making their own holes and having their ends 24 automatically bent back upon the panel I2 (Figure 2). The arms "23 are'interconnected Mby a-bridge portion 25. having a loop 7.26 extendingover theiwire or rod I'I and providing a pivotal connection therebetween. It is preferred that a pairon'f staples I I be provided for each tongue Iwand on opposite sides thereof. The sheet or layei21 of upholstery, indicated by therchain. linesilin-.Eigure 2, is attached to the panel I2, such asrsbyoa suitable adhesive, the end 28 thereof being overlapped around the edge 29""o'f'the'panelI'2. As shown in Figure 4, a pair of elongatedefasteners I IJ may be secured to the panel I2 at right angles ,to one-another. in order..to. attachtheepanel. J2

. .to,portions.havingholesinlines perpendicular to .onefanothen The .fasteners ILlare.,prefahricatedl ,witnthe tips or pointsf22 of the .tongues I8 -located at predetermined intervals. Theyarethemstapled tothe panel l.I2 nin..the.correct .positionscorre- .,sponding to thelocations .of `the-holes .l'yinvthe flange 1.5.

While .they are `beng...sto1ed,. .the panels I2 are stacked on top oioneanothenwith ...the fasteners -1.0. .folded atv .against thepanels I2 as shown in the chain-:lines iniligure.

The. fmodied jastener/Smshowniin Figures 6 and 7 is generally similar to the fastener .I{l,.ex cepothat it Ais providedfwith hiitasingletongue 3| .connected .,toppositelyextending. eet. 32.

The tongue 3 Ilikeithe tongues `.I,3,..has inwardly .bent portions y.33...ad.iacenii@the junction. .thereof with the..fltting. 32,.routmardly..hent. portions, 34

and .inclined .,portionsi '25. .converging toward. a

pointed tip 35. The modified fastener lLisnsed .as -.a replacement iastenenin the .ove-ntl'thatone of the tongues. -I.&.upon.am.ultip1e.astener Ill becomes.. damaged .or broken. In such an event,

. .the tongue portions. Blarelsqueezedtogether-as shown in Figure `.Lone .-of -the 'feet zisinserted .beneath-one of thelstaples I I .In .the .use of -the..invention,..assuming.'that the i fasteners .Ihave .beemattached tothe edges .or

.the holes .I S, asshownin Eignre .3', the outwardly bent portions. '20,4 whichrare. .separated .a Wider distance than thediametersothe holes:.I.6,.spring inward.. a slig-ht .ramount 4..in:.or.der...;to 4.enterthe holes. The outwardly bent portions-2, .ater

:entering the holes. I.I,.gspring=outward-.intothe positions-shown in Figure 3. When `tl'1is..occurs, theA inwardly bent portions .L9 `forming the .neck

v portions of rthetongues ,I 8 snap around 1the @edges .of the holes .-IIS- and :firmly secure rthe.panel :I2

to the flange .I 5 offthe-vbody-structure I3.

As previously stated, lthefrnodified-zforfm shown .in Figures 6 and '7 v-is .employed lasv a; replacement nnitfor lbroken tongues -I &,or rin-.positionsv where .itis impracticable .orinconsenient to usefth'e'multiple-tongued Afasteners r1.0.

To remove the -panel 12 from `.thedoor or other structural member 1.3:itfsmer'ely :necessary to insert a screwi driver?. adjacent-.moles I Bfand l-rpry the :tongue -J 3 `out of :the Lholes. 'Whenrthis (occurs,

the enlarged portions i2 03m? M (Figures. `rror T7) 'move toward oneinnothenio'permitxthe' :tong-ne 81or381to movezoutDf-i the hole-.initier which they resume their :former positions.

' "Sin-ce theffastener. .of the vpresent invention; has multiple `tongues projectingfatdntervals from `an .elongated'rod for Wire EI 'I'.rthetspring e'ie'ct is -distributed along 'theapentirexfieng'thinf fthe. latter.

Furthermore, the tongues I8 are virtually align- "ing, Isince they are .automaticallyrlned up by Axbeingsconnected to thestraight rod 'or wire I1; thus the multiple-tongued fastener has great ad- '.vantages over prior fasteners made up of individnal elements, each of which had to be lined up witlTits particular hole, not only in inserting it inx =.the.-hole;'b.ut also in securing it to the panel. The

".:present fastener, moreover, may be bent aroundi viously stated, the fasteners can -be lfolded-flat against the ypanels 152 until theyfareready fonuse, .thusacilitatingfstorage of thecompleted.panels. ,The `:presenti .invention vpermits the .required a -num'oer of `fasteners to .be attachedto thewpanel before the trimming operationis performed thereon. While the ytrimming `operationisbeing car- .ried-out, the fastenersfbeing .hinged tothe panel, .lieinflat .positions .and vthereforeare out vof .the way. For Vthe same .reason'theyfare'out -of 4the Way while the--panelsare fpiledor-stacked. When `the Ypanel Vis readyv tmbefattachedto. the vehicle or other articlelsuch asfurniture'all ofthefasteners in a series can be raised quicklyf-merely .-by lifting-oneoffthe Iloops,gorvxtongues. Thisoauses ...the series lof loops Y.or tongues to-.be .-raised into v-vertical .positionssimultaneouslyso that allof the tongues .are ealigned-automatically with .the-holes 1 inthe .vehicle :bodyuorflother artcle .-tov Whichf'the panel is to bezfattached. :This invention, there- .fore eliminates .the .timeconsuming and expen- ..siveoperations vof applynglsingle :fasteners one at .aetimeandflining them up with the vholes.afte1.tl'xe fpaznolsis trimmed. 'Ihezinvention also eliminates Athe .necessity for: special '-tools-L and prevents the soiling-of the. .nished' panel 4- 'which frequently occurs when single fasteners aroused.

Whatwe claim sis:

An attachable panel -or strip assembly .foray per- -ioratedsupport comprising afpanel .or'strip' mem- .'ber, a: plurality 'of-attachment fstaples .secured -at intervals along saidfanembenand lhaving aligned 1 apertures'thereimfand .an-'elongated resilient Wire :of circularcrossesection"hingedly :mounted in said staples .and=passing through'isaid` apertures and having thereon a plurality ofi-approximately VV- -shapedloops for insertion 'in fsaid perforations, :said loops ahavin'g' approximatelyi'pointed Mouter ends andhaving portions -b'ent towardone 'another adjacent their junctions with said elongated'wire 'to providefineck portions-1enga'geable vwith 'the edges' fof 'saidv` perforations.

j: JAMES .M..:SCANLO'N. .:RONAIJD .`L.'.fZl'.TRICK.

REEERENGES CITED The 'following references 'are'ofrecord 'in the "iile o'f this-patent:

UNITED STATES. lPATEN TS 

